Only hostel of Women’s College in Balangir facing acute infrastructure problems

The only hostel of Government Women’s College in Balangir is facing acute infrastructure problems while repeated requests to the authorities concerned for remedial measures have failed to evoke any response.

The hostel that was started in 1978 with 100 seats, now has 280 inmates. With only 35 rooms, eight students share one room while more than 300 students of the college are living in rented houses.

The college has a total of 1,280 students from Balangir, Nuapara and Kalahandi districts. Around 500 girl students apply for hostel seats every year but the authorities have to reject 300 applications as they do not have the required facilities.

The hostel does not even have adequate number of toilets. The inmates have to wait in long queues as the two toilets are defunct and more than five pipelines are choked.

Besides, electric wires have become weak. It is leading to short-circuit resulting in power-cuts frequently. A new hostel for SC and ST students has been under construction for last several years but does not seem to reach completion stage soon.

Hostel superintendent Ratni Hansda said the college has apprised the officials concerned through letters about the condition of the hostel and requested its repair and construction of a new building many times but in vain.

Nirmala Sahu, a boarder of the hostel and a student of Plus Three, said, “I am lucky that I got a seat in the hostel. Many of my classmates and juniors are staying outside in rented houses.” A new building consisting of at least 300 beds is the need of the hour, she added.

Sanjaya Panigrahi, the principal of the college said, “Eight students are staying in one room in a compelling situation. We have no other option. A new hostel is needed for us.”

■ With only 35 rooms, eight students share one room while more than 300 students live outside in rented houses

■ Students have to wait in long queues as the two toilets are defunct and more than five pipelines are choked

■ The boarders face frequent power-cut as electric wires have become weak

■ A new hostel for SC and ST students has been under construction for last many years but does not seem to reach completion stage soon